Preparing for your Winter 2021 co-op work term

In response to the impact that COVID-19 has had on the job market, we're piloting a change to our hiring process for the Winter 2021 work term to maximize the amount of choice, flexibility and convenience for students to search and apply for jobs, and for employers to hire candidates. We hope this will encourage more employers to post jobs and make it easier for students to apply and find out their results faster!

Remember: employers will be posting jobs throughout the recruiting term, so keep applying until you have a match! Whether you end up finding a job at the start of the term or later in the recruitment process, great jobs will be available and we’re here to support you every step of the way.

At a high-level, here’s what hiring for the Winter 2021 work term will look like:

• Extra employment cycle added before fall reading week to help you solidify matches faster (does not apply to Pharmacy and Architecture students, who follow their own hiring processes linked from our important dates webpage)
• Interviews arranged through WaterlooWorks will be conducted remotely to maximize flexibility
• Application limits will increase by increments of 50 with every new posting to allow you to apply to more jobs
• If you need extra time, you can keep applying for jobs all the way until March 8, 2021 (last day to start work to receive co-op credit for an 8-week work term ending April 30)
• Please note: We're changing our wording to better reflect the fact that employers post jobs in various "cycles" throughout the recruiting term, so you'll see the word "cycle" replacing previous terms like "first interview cycle" (or "main round") and "continuous interview cycle."

back to top

Across all programs (except Pharmacy and GBDA), for any student unable to obtain a co-op credit for a Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and/or Winter 2021 work term, the minimum number of work terms required by the program will be reduced by one (with a minimum of three work terms in undergraduate programs, and one in master’s degree programs that are supported by Co-operative Education).

Please note that this reduction is not cumulative, meaning that students who missed two work terms between Spring 2020 and Winter 2021 are still only eligible for a reduction of one work term.

Only students who are unable to obtain a co-op credit in Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 will be considered for this reduced minimum. Students with a UU or Failed status are not eligible for the reduced number of work termsand will have a status of NCR recorded on their transcript.

For example, if you have six work terms scheduled in your sequence with a minimum of five work terms and are unable to obtain a co-op credit for the Spring 2020, Fall 2020 or Winter 2021 work term, your new minimum is four work terms. Otherwise, the minimum remains five work terms. Please consult your academic program advisor for details.

Here's a visual to show you what that looks like for UNDERGRAD co-op students:

Here's a visual to show you what that looks like for GRAD co-op students who are enrolled in programs supported by Co-operative Education:

back to top

As you continue your job search for the Winter 2021 work term, you may be able to enroll in up to five academic courses. Depending on how your work search goes, you can choose to drop the courses (if you end up finding a job) or stay enrolled to develop skills for your next work term. Either way, there are a variety of factors to consider when making this decision.

Please consult with your academic program advisor (or faculty co-op advisor, if you’re in Math) if you have questions about making course choices and what makes the most sense for your degree progression.

Please note: Even if you’ve enrolled in 2+ courses for the Winter 2021 term, you can continue searching for work until March 8, 2021 (last day to start work to receive co-op credit for an 8-week work term ending April 30) to maintain your co-op credit! Jobs will continue to be posted on WaterlooWorks throughout the recruitment period, and if you end up finding a job for co-op credit here’s what will happen:

• If you are enrolled in full-time courses and you are employed before March 8, the Registrar’s Office will contact you and you will be asked to drop down to a maximum of 2 courses and offered a 100% refund on the courses you are required to drop.This step is mandatory as you cannot be enrolled in full-time courses and receive co-op credit in the same term.

• If you enrolled in part-time courses and you are employed before March 8, you would normally be expected to continue in 1-2 courses. At the time you are employed and if you would like to drop down to less than 2 courses, you can email or call The Centre to see whether a 100% refund is possible (email: askthecentre@uwaterloo.ca, phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 42268).

• Backdated course drops and refunds will only be eligible for students who find jobs that meet the requirements for co-op credit.

• After March 8, you will no longer be eligible for a work term credit if you are enrolled in full-time courses.

• If there is no change in your employment status, you must follow the Important Dates for withdrawls and refunds.

If you have questions about the above, please consult with your academic program advisor (or faculty co-op advisor, if you’re in math) to see what’s possible for your situation. If you’re an international visa student, we also encourage you to consult with the Student Success Office’s team of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants to determine if taking a full-time course load will have any impact to your study or co-op work permits, and/or your post-graduation plans of staying in Canada.

back to top

Programs are intentionally designed to balance course offerings, program requirements and job availability in each work term. A sequence change does impact all three to varying degrees in each program. For example, programs structure course offerings based on sequences and Co-operative Education works to develop jobs based on enrolment demands each term.

Given that, students should normally remain in their sequence as planned and should not move a scheduled work term to a future term. To address the impact of not earning a co-op credit due to COVID-19, programs have reduced the number of required work terms by one for those students who are unable to obtain a co-op credit in their Spring 2020, Fall 2020 or Winter 2021 work term.

Where there is a need to consider an exception due to situations that include course offerings, eight-month work terms and other unique scenarios, a sequence change form can be submitted to your academic program advisor (or faculty co-op advisor, if you're a Math student) with a clear rationale to explain the extenuating circumstances. The Faculty and Co-operative Education will review the request for an exception together and inform the student of their decision. Please contact your academic program advisor (or faculty co-op advisor, if you're a Math student) if you have any questions about the exception process.

If you're an international visa student, we also encourage you to consult with the Student Success Office's team of Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants to determine if changing your sequence will have any impact on your study or co-op work permits, and/or your post-graduation plans of staying in Canada.

back to top

Waterloo’s co-op program requires jobs to meet standard or flexible requirements in order to be granted co-op credit for your work term.

In order to graduate, undergraduate co-op students must complete a minimum of three standard work terms, plus 1-3 additional work terms that meet standard OR flexible work term criteria (depending on your academic program’s study/work sequence). All work terms for Graduate students must be standard work terms.

• Standard work terms: Work terms with a single employer/position that meets the standard work term criteria below.
• Flexible work terms: Work terms with a single or multiple employers/positions that together meet the flexible work term criteria below. Flexible work terms allow students to receive credit for a wider range of work experiences that don’t quite fit the standard requirements.

We know that COVID-19 may present unique challenges for students searching for work. That’s why we’ve increased our flexibility around our existing work term requirements to consider a wider variety of workplaces, positions and rates of pay for co-op credit.

If your position does NOT meet one or more aspects of the standard/flexible criteria below, please speak to your co-op advisor. We review each job opportunity on a case-by-case basis, so we may be able to make an exception depending on your situation and rationale.

back to top

To help with your work search, we’re maintaining our increased flexibility around standard and flexible Work Term Requirements for Winter 2021 to give co-op credit for a greater variety of workplaces, positions and rates of pay.

If you’ve arranged your own job outside of WaterlooWorks, please follow the steps below to determine whether it is eligible for co-op credit:

• Ensure that it meets the work term requirements, the University’s current travel policies and our remote work guidelines.
• Speak with your co-op advisor to let them know that you’ve found an opportunity outside WaterlooWorks.
• Submit the appropriate AOJ form based on your location:
  • AOJ Canada: use this form if you will be based in Canada during your work term (in-person or remote)
  • AOJ USA: use this form if you will be based in the USA during your work term working for a Canadian, American or International employer (in-person or remote)
  • AOJ International: use this form if you will be based outside of Canada/USA while working for a Canadian, American or International employer (in-person or remote)
  • AOJ UWaterloo: use this form if you will be working for the University of Waterloo (in-person or remote) 
• For more information, review our Arrange Own Job process.   

For tips on how to talk to employers about hiring and supporting the cost of a co-op student, visit our arrange own job webpage and funding opportunities webpage. Talking about funding opportunities can be particularly helpful when talking with potential employers or negotiating job offers as a “selling point” to make it easier and more cost-effective for them to hire you!

Any changes to PD course requirements will be communicated to you by your faculty.

• AHS students: please see the Co-op Procedures webpage on your Faculty's website for more information about how requirements have been adjusted for you.
• Arts students: please see the COVID-19 work terms webpage on your Faculty’s website for more information about how requirements have been adjusted for you.
• Environment students: please see the Program requirements webpage on your Faculty's website or reach out to your academic advisor for more information about how requirements have been adjusted for you.

In the absence of any updates from your faculty, your PD requirements remain the same, as outlined in your academic calendar. Please contact your academic program advisor (or faculty co-op advisor, if you're a Math student) if you have any questions about your PD requirements.

back to top

With the current economic climate around the pandemic, preserving job opportunities and employer relationships to help as many students as possible find employment has never been more important. Declining a job offer or leaving a work term early may result in lost opportunities for other co-op students in the future. As a result, consequences may apply.

To avoid this, it’s your responsibility to read job descriptions carefully and apply only to jobs that you would realistically take if your interview resulted in a match. In addition, be sure to ask questions when interviewing in order to understand the specifics of a position before you accept a job offer.

You always have the options below to give you choice when interviewing for jobs and submitting your rankings through WaterlooWorks:

• Requesting interview relief:If you're feeling overwhelmed with your interview schedule, you can contact your co-op advisor to discuss available options and/or fill out a Request for Interview Relief Form on WaterlooWorks. Depending on your situation, you may be able to choose to be removed from one or more of your upcoming interviews by having your job application(s) withdrawn.
• Request to Withdraw Application: If you have serious concerns about a job or employer immediately after an interview, you can request to have your application withdrawn.
• Ranking a job as “Not Interested”:You can now submit up to three “Not Interested” rankings per term to guarantee that you will not be matched with a job and/or prioritize other jobs of interest. If you decide against a job after attending an interview, consider using this option rather than reneging on a match.

If you decide to decline a job offer or leave a work term early please see below for an overview of how we typically handle these situations, as well as accommodations in place for Winter 2021.

• Reneges (declining any accepted job offer [match/AOJ/return] prior to starting the job):
  • We review each renege situation on a case-by-case basis to determine what consequences may be applied (see our Co-op Roles and Responsibilities for more information).
  • For Winter 2021 work terms, we will consider removing consequences for students who renege on a match due to health concerns related to COVID-19.
• Resignations (leaving a work term early after starting a job):
  • We review each resignation situation on a case-by-case basis to determine what consequences may be applied (see our Co-op Roles and Responsibilities for more information).
  • For Winter 2021 work terms, we will consider removing consequences for students who leave a job early due to health concerns related to COVID-19.

If you have questions about your specific situation, please reach out to your co-op advisor.

back to top

Good news - we are now allowing co-op students who are physically located in Canada to pursue independent contractor positions for their work terms, as long as they meet our work term requirements for co-op credit.

Review the resource below to learn more about some key considerations and implications of working in Canada as an independent contractor.

Students in this situation can choose to complete their work terms either:

• In-person from their home country/current location with an employer who is based in the same location.

• Remotely from their home country/current location with an employer who is based anywhere (as long as you and your employer follow our guidelines for remote work terms.

  • Please note: There are special guidelines to work remotely for a Canadian employer while abroad.

Co-op credit will be assessed on a case-by-case basis with safety as our primary consideration. Factors such as the ones below will be considered when determining eligibility.

• Your status: This exception only applies for students whose status on their university records is “study permit,” and does not apply if you are a dual citizen of Canada and another country/location (unless you already left Canada and have been abroad since June 1, 2020).

• Safety considerations for the location you will be based in: In all cases, we cannot grant credit to in-person or remote-within-location work terms where students will be based in locations that were originally (pre-COVID-19 advisory levels) listed as high risk (“Avoid non-essential travel” or “Avoid all travel”) on the Global Affairs Canada (GAC) website.

• Whether the job meets our current work term requirements: now more flexible in light of COVID-19!

Working remotely for a Canadian employer from your home country/current location

Recently, Immigration, Refugees & Citizenship Canada confirmed guidelines for co-op work permits:

• If you will be located within Canada during your work term or relocate at any point: you will need a co-op work permit to continue working for a Canadian employer.

• If you will be located outside Canada for the duration of your work term: due to COVID-19, you are not currently required to have a co-op work permit to work remotely for an employer who is based in Canada.

That said, some Canadian employers may require the following from students who are located outside Canada, depending on their company-specific requirements:

• Valid co-o p work permit: Some employers may still require a co-op work permit

• Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Individual Taxation Number (ITN): You cannot apply for a SIN until you enter Canada and have your study permit (with work authorization remarks) and/or co-op work permit. Once you enter Canada, you can apply for your SIN online. If you do not have a study permit (with work authorization remarks) and/or a co-op work permit, you might be able to apply for an ITN. This must be by paper application, but you can apply for the ITN from outside Canada, and get it mailed to an address outside Canada.

• Canadian bank account: Some Canadian banks may allow you to open an account with an ITN or SIN from your current location.

• Since these requirements are directly company-related, co-op cannot consult or advise in any manner.

Remember: Inter-jurisdictional hiring is very complex as the requirements and rules vary by location. It’s important to be clear and transparent with employers about your current location and any travel plans to ensure that you comply with all jurisdictional requirements for employment in both countries/locations. We also expect employers to investigate any inter-jurisdictional requirements and restrictions (e.g., SIN/ITN requirement, COWP requirement, payroll, taxes, workplace insurance, etc.), meet any regulation compliance, and manage risks for the location the student is in. Jurisdictional requirements and restrictions may vary by location.

If you have questions about obtaining a co-op work permit, SIN, ITN or bank account, consult with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, the WUSA’s Student Legal Protection Program or another qualified legal professional.

Searching for work in your home country/current location

• Though we are currently not advertising at-location jobs outside Canada on WaterlooWorks due to the current travel restrictions, you can still arrange your own job for co-op credit!

• To help support your job search, we can send you job opportunities with employers located in your home country/location (based on your citizenship recorded in Quest) for select locations where we have job leads, if such opportunities become available.

• If you’d like to receive these messages if a position becomes available, please keep your skills profile up-to-date and your job notification messages turned ON (learn more).

• At-location jobs, shared directly via WaterlooWorks message, are subject to standard co-op roles and responsibilities, e.g.: reneging from an at-location job will incur the same penalties as reneging from a job posted on WaterlooWorks.

• For students at a home location different from their passport country/location: If you need help finding a job in your location, please email ceeivsies@uwaterloo.ca to see if any leads are available.

Next steps if you've found a job in your home country/current location

• Please speak with your co-op advisor about your specific situation in further detail.

• Once you’ve found a job, submit an arrange own job (AOJ) form so we can determine whether it meets our current work term requirements (now more flexible in light of COVID-19). 

• If any supporting documentation is required to confirm your status, we will reach out to you once your AOJ form has been submitted.

• If your AOJ Form is approved, we’ll ask you to complete online risk management procedures before leaving Canada, or within one week of reaching your destination. 

Legal requirements from the Government of Canada

The Government of Canada requires international visa students to hold a valid Canadian co-op work permit in order to legally work in Canada for a Canadian employer, regardless of whether the job will be completed in-person or remotely from within Canada. This work permit must be valid for the entire duration of the work experience during the Winter 2021 term.

COVID-19 has impacted immigration services and processing times, so unless you already have a Canadian co-op work permit you will likely not receive one in time for the Winter 2021 work term if you are applying for one for the first time. Other factors such as your current location, when you applied for a renewal, etc. could also result in delayed co-op work permits.

In addition, many Canadian employers will require you to be located in Canada for the entire duration of your work term, regardless of whether the job is in-person or remote.

If you have a Canadian co-op work permit, you can complete your work term:

• In-person with a Canadian employer

• Remotely from within Canada with a Canadian employer 

If you have a confirmation letter with a permit number from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada:

• Please note that this is not a valid co-op work permit. You will need an actual co-op work permit to legally complete your work term from within Canada and should let any potential employers know where you stand.

• If you have a confirmation letter with a permit number from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, please email ceeivsies@uwaterloo.ca as soon as possible with a PDF of your document so we can update our records.

If you do not have a Canadian co-op work permit, you can complete your work term:

• From your home country/location – in-person with an employer who is based in the same location or remotely with an employer who is based anywhere (see guidelines above)

• From your home country/location – remotely with an employer who is based in Canada (this is a special case - see guidelines above)

• From Canada – remotely with an employer who is based outside Canada

Questions about applying for a co-op work permit or entering into Canada more generally?

• Contact the Student Success Office’s team of Immigration Consultants.

• Review immigration information for new students and current students, including the frequently asked questions below:

  • Will processing times affect my study permit extension or co-op work permit application?

  • My documents are being mailed to TC.

  • When can I retrieve them? How will studying part-time or taking an off term impact my co-op work permit eligibility?

• Review the SSO’s Social Insurance Number (SIN) resource for students.

  • Note: A scan of the physical copy your work permit (or a study permit with certain conditions around eligibility to work) is required to apply for a SIN. The hard copies of these documents are issued only when you enter Canada for the first time. Visit the Government of Canada website to learn how to apply for a SIN and check the current processing time (e.g., on February 9 it was 20 business days) as you will need to account for this when making plans to come to Canada. Please ensure that you arrive early enough to apply and receive your SIN before beginning work in Canada (regardless of whether you will be working in-person or remote-in-Canada).

• Students can check processing times for permits on the Government of Canada website.
• Please take time to carefully review all the immigration information on the international student resources website.

If you’re an international visa student who is interested in working remotely for the University of Waterloo from your home location (outside Canada), you must have an operational Canadian bank account as well as a Social Insurance Number (SIN) at the time of applying for the job. This is currently being permitted for the Winter and Spring 2021 work terms only.

Please follow our remote work guidelines when searching for work, and remember that co-op credit eligibility will be assessed on a case-by-case basis depending on factors such as the ones below:

• Your status: This exception only applies for students whose status on their university records is “student permit,” and does not apply if you are a dual citizen of Canada and another country/location (unless you already left Canada and have been abroad since June 1, 2020).
• Whether you have the following (all required):
  • A Canadian Social Insurance Number (SIN): You cannot apply for a SIN until you enter Canada and have your study permit (with work authorization remarks) and/or co-op work permit. Once you enter Canada, you can apply for your SIN online.
  • A Canadian bank account: Some Canadian banks may allow you to open an account with an ITN or SIN from your current location.
• Safety considerations for the location you will be based in:
  • Work terms where students will be located outside of Canada may only be considered for credit if the locations are not subject to Level 3 or Level 4 travel advisories that are unrelated to COVID-19, as per the Global Affairs Canada website.
• Whether the job meets our current work term requirements: now more flexible in light of COVID-19!

If you meet the factors above and accept an offer from a UWaterloo employer, you are acknowledging the following:

In accepting this co-op position, you acknowledge that in the Spring 2022 term you will be in Canada or you would have been in Canada if not for pandemic-related challenges. The University of Waterloo will apply Canadian income tax withholding in providing payments related to your co-op position and Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI) applies to these payments. The University of Waterloo will provide a Canadian T4 tax slip for the calendar year 2022 and you will be responsible for filing a tax return in Canada or any other country where you have an obligation to do so for 2022 to report this income. Those working from locations outside of Canada are encouraged to seek tax advice in their jurisdiction of residence.

Also, please note that you will not be eligible for UWaterloo benefits and are required to have provincial healthcare/UHIP upon relocation, or if already at the location. If working from outside Canada, you will also be required to attest that you have WUSA/GSA health and dental insurance or equivalent.

If your job is approved, you’ll receive a message asking you to complete enhanced risk management training (can be completed online from wherever you are located). This step is mandatory to receive co-op credit for your work term.

If you have questions about working remotely for the University of Waterloo, please reach out to your co-op advisor.

If you’re currently located outside Canada and find a job with a Canadian employer:

• Please take time to carefully review the Student Success Office (SSO)’s immigration documents resource.
• Review the Student Success Office’s Guide to COVID-19 and Quarantine Checklist for advice on how to enter Canada, including what to do before leaving your country, on the day of your flight and after you arrive in Canada.
• Be sure to anticipate restrictions in flight availability, changing border restrictions in Canada, quarantine requirements and any other factors that may impact your re-entry to Canada.
• Register for the University subsidized Waterloo Student Quarantine Package for international students if you're arriving in Canada to study at UWaterloo. You can register for this time-limited package (pay close attention to the eligibility time period) or arrange your own quarantine plan.
• Remember: It’s important to be clear and transparent with employers about your current location and travel plans. When making your decisions, be sure to consider any travel, safety, security immigration and legal implications that you may have to navigate.